6 Popular French Furniture Styles and Ideas

The people of France are known for their art and furniture that span hundreds of years of flawless taste, from great wine to fine French furniture and from the Eiffel Tower to the meadows of Provence. They have high regard for the finer things in life.

While pricing is important, it is ultimately a question of who ruled France when telling the difference between a period piece and a style item. Each king's style distinguished his reign from the others, and the periods in furniture design correspond to the historical periods directly associated with the reign of a specific king, politician, or military commander.

Styles sometimes overlap, and the difference between one king's style and another is usually simply a few degrees of decadence and a few transitional French styles. When a piece was created during the reign of a specific king, such as Louis XIV, it is known as a Louis XIV dresser or a period dresser.

Each King had a distinct style of furniture and design that marked his era and left an indelible influence on the rest of the globe. Below are some ways you can create a French-inspired home from different periods.

1.Tufted Furniture
Though tufted furniture first gained popularity in England during the Victorian era, it is frequently linked with the grandeur of the French aristocracy during the Second Empire period when Louis Napoleon, was elected president of the Second French Republic in 1848.

You can give your home an aristocratic air by adding a few tufted furniture pieces. Consider selecting tufted items in exciting, unusual hues to make them stand out and serve as an accent piece in your house.

2.Canopy Beds
In the early 17th century, from Louis XIII to Louis XIV, France elevated the bed to a prestige symbol. By the 1870s, however, canopies had become antiquated and out of style. The lacy canopy beds that people are more familiar with now first appeared in the late 1890s.

The traditional colors of a French country canopy bed are warm and inviting.

Consider getting a canopy bed to incorporate French designs in your home. The mix of rustic and elegant design of French country canopy beds is sure to give any bedroom a French country vibe. With its timeless rural charm embracing every inch, the appropriate French country canopy bed can ground any bedroom suite.

3.Gilded Wood Furniture
Gilded wood furniture exploded in popularity in the 17th century during Louis XIV's reign. The wood furniture of Louis XIV was mostly massive and extravagant with heavy decorations that are accurate and symmetrical.

Furniture also evolved from practical, movable wooden pieces to gilded, elaborate works of art. New areas of the world opened to trade, and new wood materials and decoration techniques became available as well.

You can create French-inspired rooms by adding living room or dining room chairs with gilded wood. You can get antique furnishings or reproductions that will perfectly mix with your existing furniture.

4.Ornate Mirrors
France began making mirrors during the reign of Louis XIV. The mirror frames then consisted of carved wood.

The hefty, elaborate frames of Rococo style or the Louis XV style mirrors began in 1730. The intricate frames were often plated and molded in plaster during this period.

A huge ornate mirror makes a great impression above a fireplace or as a focal point on a wood-paneled wall. You can combine this with a simpler style of dining tables or put it in the bathroom to serve as a focal design or in other parts of the house to add glitz to an otherwise dull room. An ornate mirror will instantly transform any room into a French interior styled room.

5.Nightstands
Get a romantic French-inspired bedroom by getting French nightstands. Bedside table furniture of different styles and opulence are also some of the most popular French furniture you can use to create the French-inspired home you want.

Nightstands are also a good alternative to canopy beds if you’re not a fan of massive furniture in your bedroom.

6.Round Shape Furniture
An exquisite period chair is a fantastic complement to any existing furniture you have. Look for living room or dining chairs with rounded backs, robust arms, and well-turned-out feet. These chairs can also add a romantic feel to any room of your house.

Don’t limit yourself to chairs, though. You’d find that there is plenty of rounded furniture that can create French aesthetics in your house.

If you need more French furniture design ideas, browse through our collection of French country-style antique reproductions as well as genuine antiques from France and Europe that you can mix and match with other designs. We offer free shipping for orders over $5,000.00. Contact us if you have any questions or if you need help choosing the right furniture for your decorating project.